When we were recently down at our favorite control manufacturer, MPE, John showed us one of their newest products. Let me introduce to you, ﻿The Exerciser!﻿

Can I just say that I already love this product because the name of it makes me think of a superhero? Why can't we name more products like that?

Exciting name aside, the Exerciser is a pretty cool little product. You know all those little sump pumps that may sit for long periods of time without use? And then when you need them the most, the pump that hasn't been run in a long time doesn't want to work right? The Exerciser is a solution to that problem. I'll let MPE take it from here, since they know it the best.

The Exerciser® reads the state of the Float Switch and turns the pump ON when the Float Switch closes, and turns the pump OFF when the Float Switch opens. If the pump has not run for 7 days, The Exerciser® will automatically exercise the pump for 3 seconds. The 7 day exercise time delay is reset each time the pump is called to run by the Float Switch.

The Exerciser® also detects if a foreign object is keeping the pump from turning freely by monitoring both the motor inrush current and the motor run current. If The Exerciser® detects a fault condition, it turns the pump off, turns on the audible alarm, flashes the Run/Fault LED, and closes the alarm relay contact. One minute after a fault condition is first detected, The Exerciser® will again attempt to start the pump. If the fault is detected the second time, The Exerciser® wait one more minute and then try a third time to start the pump. If the pump starts and runs normally, the fault history clears after thirty minutes. If the pump fails to start and run the third time, the fault condition remains present until the reset button is depressed.

The Test/Reset push-button has two functions: If there is no fault present, pressing the button will start the 3 second Pump Exercise cycle, and reset the exercise time delay for 7 more days. If a fault alarm is present, pressing the button will silence the buzzer and reset the alarm, allowing normal operation. (Assuming that the pump is free of any obstruction.)